OBJECTIVE: To analyze the errors made in a speech test in the presence of background noise for the elderly. METHOD: We performed a retrospective study with data collected from medical records of 55 elderly patients divided into control group (CG) and study group (SG), considering the tests Percentage Index of Speech Recognition (PISR) and Speech in Noise (S/R). RESULT: articulatory exchanges were more frequent test in the SG and in the /R test. Overall, there were more omissions of phonemes in initial position (/p/ and /b/) and final (/s/) of words, especially with the noise. There were omissions of words only in the SG. The words more exchanged in the CG were "rir", "dil", "lhe", "faz" and "rol", and in the SG, "rir", "dil", "lhe", "faz", "pus" and "rol". CONCLUSION: the presence of normal pure tone thresholds did not prevent errors that occur in speech recognition and noise interfered negatively in this recognition, especially in the elderly with hearing loss. The phonemes / p /, / b / and / s / were most frequently omitted, especially in the presence of noise. The words "rir", "dil", "lhe", "faz" and "rol" were the most confused in the groups, mainly in the presence of noise.
Aged; Auditory perception; Speech discrimination tests; Presbyacusis